Shoppers Looking to Cut Grocery Bills Can Try New Plan

IF YOU THINK YOUR FOOD BUDGET IS GROWING IT'S NOT YOUR MANSION I KNOW MY WAISTLINE IS GROWING. WE HAVE SEEN THE LARGEST INCREASE SINCE 2011. RUTH SPENCER SHOWS US NOT JUST A COUPON GAMUT BUT A LIFESTYLE CHANGE THAT MIGHT TRIM SOME OF THE FAT OFF YOUR GROCERY BILL. Reporter: HOW MUCH PLANNING DO YOU DO BEFORE YOU GO TO THE GROCERY STORE? MY WIFE TEXTS ME A LIST AND I GO TO THE STORE AND PICK IT UP. WELL, I LOVE TO SAVE MONEY BUT IT'S TIME, WHO HAS TIME? USUALLY I HAVE A LIST AND I COME ABOUT MAYBE THREE TIMES A WEEK. Reporter: BARGAIN SHOPPING MOM MELISSA SAYS THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH. DEFINITELY GROCERY PRICES ARE GOING UP. Reporter: MELISSA RUNS HER OWN WEBSITE AND SHE TEACHES CLASSES ON HOW TO SHOP SMARTER. THIS IS NOT EXTREME COUPONING IT'S A REALISTIC LIFESTYLE CHANGE. Reporter: AND A LOCAL MEIJER SHE SHOWED HOW TO CHANGE YOUR WAY OF THINKING ABOUT GROCERY SHOPPING. INSTEAD OF JUST GOING ABOUT WHAT YOU NEED FOR THAT WEEK LOOK AT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO USE THROUGHOUT A MONTH AND THAT WAY YOU ARE ALWAYS BUYING ON SALE. MELISSA AVOIDS PAYING FULL PRICE BY DOING TWO THINGS. SHE STOCKPILE ITEMS THAT SHE FINDS ON SALE AND SHE PLANS HER FAMILY MENUS AROUND THE LEAST EXPENSIVE ITEMS SHE CAN FIND. GREEN BEANS ARE 99 CENTS THIS WEEK VERSUS ASPARAGUS WHICH IS $2.99 A POUND. IF YOU PLAN YOUR MEALS AROUND USING GREEN BEANS YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY GOING TO SAVE MONEY. Reporter: AND THIS BARGAIN SHOPPER DOESN'T LEAVE HER HOUSE UNTIL SHE'S SORTED THROUGH SALES AND COUPONS. ALSO UNTIL SHE'S CHECKED THE FOOD SHE HAS IN HER FREEZER AND HER PANTRY. THEN SHE COMES UP WITH MEAL PLANS THAT USE THE LEAST EXPENSIVE ITEMS. AND SHE DECIDES WHAT SALE ITEMS SHE'LL STOCK UP ON FOR FUTURE USE. I WOULD SAY IT TAKES ME UNDER AN HOUR A WEEK TO SAVE OVER 50% ON MY GROCERIES. Reporter: SHE SAYS THERE ARE PLENTY OF APPS THAT HELP SPEED UP THE PLANNING PROCESS. AND THEY CAN HELP YOU SAVE ON MILK AND PRODUCE. MEIJER HAS A GREAT APP CALLED M-PERKS WHERE YOU CAN SAVE LOTS OF MONEY. THEY HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF PRODUCE COUPONS THIS WEEK. I REALLY THINK MOST PEOPLE WHEN THEY HAVE THAT LIGHTBULB MOMENT REALIZE IT'S NOT THAT DIFFICULT. Reporter: MELISSA HAS EVEN MORE IDEAS ON HOW TO PUT A SMILE ON YOUR FACE WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE CHECKOUT LINE. SHE'S BACK IN THE STUDIO "LIVE IN THE D" RIGHT NOW. RUTH SPENCER, RUTH TO THE RESCUE, BACK TO YOU. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, RUTH. MELISSA BUCKLES HAS BEEN A GUEST ON "LIVE IN THE D" BEFORE WITH IDEAS ON HOW TO SAVE MONEY. NOW YOU ARE HELPINGOUS HOW TO SCAV MONEY ON THE GROCERY STORE. YOU SAY THERE'S A COUPLE MINE THINGS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION. YES, IN ADDITION TO THE TIPS THAT I GAVE ON THE STORY THAT WE ALREADY SAW, ONE THING IS TO LIMIT BRAND LOYALTY. IF YOU'RE LOYAL TO A CERTAIN BRAND IT'S MORE DIFFICULT TO FIND A SALE OR FIND A COUPON. IF YOU'RE WILLING TO USE A COMPETITOR YOU CAN MAYBE SAVE SOME MORE MONEY OR STORE BRAND. YOU SAID DON'T ALWAYS BE LOYAL TO PARTICULAR STORES THERE'S OTHER STORES THAT HAVE OPTIONS. THAT'S RIGHT. I'M A HUGE FAN OF ALBEE. ALBEE IS ACTUALLY A VALUE GROCERY STORE AND THEY HAVE EVERYDAY LOW PRICES. IF OUR PERSON WHO DOESN'T WANT TO HAS WELL COUPONING OR LOOKING AT THE BEST DEALS YOU WILL FIND GREAT DEALS ON STAPLES, SPICES FOR A DOLLAR, DEALS ON MILK, BUTTER. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO COUPON YOU CAN GET EVERYDAY LOW PRICES THERE. YOU WANT TO CHECK UNIT PRICES YOU SAID? YES, YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO CHECK UNIT PRICES. PEOPLE THINK IF YOU BUY THE LARGER ITEM IT WILL BE LESS COSTLY THAT'S NOT THE CASE. YOU MIGHT FIND THAT THE SMALLER BOTTLE OF KETCHUP IS CHEAPER PER OUNCE THAN THE LARGER BOTTLE. AND LASTLY? LASTLY, I WOULD SAY DON'T BUY EVERYTHING PREPREPARED FOR YOU. IF YOU BUY A BAG OF SALAD, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S GOING TO COST YOU MORE THAN WASHING THE ROMAIN LETTUCE YOURSELF AT HOME SO YOU CAN SAVE SOME MONEY ON THAT AS WELL. RIGHT. HOW MUCH HAVE YOU SAVED EMPLOYING THESE STRAT GUYS. I WOULD SAY I SAVE OVER 50% ON MY GROCERY BILL A WEEK. YESTERDAY WINDS TO CONTROLLINGER AND MY ORIGINAL BILL WAS $99 AND I PAID $60. SO THAT'S 44%. BUT I, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES FORAGE I GOT A STEAK YESTERDAY. IT'S NOT LIKE I'M ONLY DYING. BUT YOU CAN AFFORD TO DO THAT IF YOU SAVE ELIMINATES WHERE. IT'S ALL A LIFESTYLE CHANGE LOOKING AT WHAT'S ON SALE. I HAVE ALL KINDS OF INFORMATION ON MY WEBSITE EVERYDAY SAVING.COM. I HAVE --. YOU ARE GOING TO HELP US OUT ON A CHALLENGE. I AM. LET'S HELP FOLKS ABOUT THAT. WE LIKE TO GIVE SOME OF THE BARGAINING SHOPPING MOMS AND DADS A CHANCE TO TRY MELISSA'S SAVINGS PLAN. IT'S OUR LOCAL 4 GROCERY SAVINGS CHALLENGE. IF YOU SPEND AT LEAST $150 A WEEK ON YOUR GROCERIES YOU CAN BE CHOSEN. IT WOULD HELP IF HAVE YOU SOME RECENT RECEIPTS OR GROCERY PURCHASES. ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS BE WILLING TO VISIT US ON "LIVE IN THE D" SO THAT WILL BE KIND OF COOL. GO TOE THE RUTH TO THE RESCUE PAGE AT CLICKONDETROIT.COM OR OUR LOCAL 4 Facebook PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION. AND WE WILL PAIR YOU UP WITH MELISSA AND KIND OF FOLLOW YOU SCPOOG SEE WHAT YOU CAN TEACH THEM. I WANT TO SEE YOU HELP SOMEBODY WITH THESE LIFE 101 SKILLS FROM BEGINNING AND SEE THAT EVOLVE. THAT WILL BE GREAT.

If you think your grocery bill is getting bigger and bigger, you're not imagining things! Retail food prices rose 0.4% in March, the same as in February and the largest amount since September 2011. Recently, bargain shopper mom Melissa Buckles told Local 4 viewers how she saves up to 50% on her grocery bills through meal planning, stockpiling, and other savings strategies.

Ruth to the Rescue is looking for volunteers to put Buckle's savings strategies to work for their families. Qualified candidates should spend at least $150 dollars a week on groceries, and those with receipts/records from recent purchases will be more likely to be chosen.

You will make at least two appearances on Live in the D and must agree to on camera interviews.

Comments

The views expressed below are not those of Click On Detroit, WDIV, or its affiliated companies. By clicking on "Post," you acknowledge that you have read the Terms of Service and your comment is in compliance with such terms. Readers, please help keep this discussion respectful and on topic by flagging comments that are offensive or inappropriate (hover over the commenter's name and you'll see the flag option appear on right side of that line). And remember, respect goes both ways: Tolerance of others' opinions is important in a free discourse. If you're easily offended by strong opinions, you might skip reading comments entirely.